'Part of my genetic code': One OKC culinary instructor's journey to open doors for others

Chaya Pennington has been an instructor at the Care Metro Tech ter for nine years.

She grew up in Oklahoma City's historically Black northeast side community.

Pennington uses the things she saw, learned and Metro Cafe d along the way to influence her teaching.

"We need a place for Black people to come and be authentically themselves," one ning two said.

With students in her classes ranging from 16 to 73 years old, Pennington said she is cons Chaya Pennington .

She gets to see generational differences and learns from those she's instructing, all third e enjoying the discov third rocess.

"I think I'm Pennington e empathetic than I thought bef CareerTech said. nine years maryFeed_hig 20 ightText__NxlGi">Oklahoman Northeast High School LightText__NxlGi" Oklahoma City's an> Pennington Kindred Spirits 3 1726 s ol 23 /span> Eastpoint maryFeed_highLightText__NxlGi">Pennington two Pennington Penni Pennington n> March Douglass High School < Chaya Pennington aryFeed_highLightText__NxlGi">Pennington Pennington oma Omni the Omni Hotel 18 18 years old 18 Penn Pennington an> one OMNI 18 Pennington summaryFeed_highLightText__NxlGi">30 59 Metro Tech first lGi">Culinary Arts Pennington xt__NxlGi">Pennington PenningtonPennington an class="summaryFeed_highLightText__NxlGi">35 years Pennington